While Nintendo is jumping on the next generation of consoles early with the Wii U, Sony and Microsoft don’t appear to be doing the same. Microsoft in particular seem content to just update the 360 again and keep that going for a couple more years, if their press conference at E3 this year was any indication. Yet that hasn’t stopped people from speculating about their next console, and if a recent document that appeared on the internet says anything, Microsoft may indeed be working on it.
The document in question listed various details about an ‘Xbox 720′, going on for over 50 pages. In it, it said that the console would release in 2013, at the surprisingly reasonable price of $299. It also said that it would come packaged with an updated version of Kinect, simply called ‘Kinect V2′. The console would contain Blu-Ray functionality and be able to play games that look approximately four-to-six times better than current 360 games. No specific schematics were given, though, so the stories regarding the console’s processing power are still unconfirmed.
The document also listed some Augmented Reality glasses codenamed ‘Fortaleza’, but wouldn’t be released until 2014. So presumably this new feature would be a cross between Kinect and the fabled virtual reality glasses people have been wanting since the early 90s. It also said that the Xbox 720 would have an ‘always-on’ feature – though for what purpose wasn’t clarified – and would also be able to use apps during gameplay for the sake of multitasking.
Granted, this could be a forged document meant to drive up discussion and spread rumors. For one thing, the document appeared earlier on another site back in May, so this isn’t the first time it’s made its rounds. For another, the document itself is dated as almost two years old, having been originally made in August of 2010. So it seems unlikely that any of this information is in any way accurate. But strangely enough, some of the information on the document has come true – most recently being the Smart Glass. So this is either an actual document or a very elaborate forgery.
What do you think about this document? Does this mean we’ll be seeing an Xbox 720 officially announced soon?
[Update]
- The document in question has now been taken down by the law firm Covington & Burling LLP, who just so happens to represent Microsoft. Whether this lends credence to the theory that it was a real document from the company, or is just an attempt to dispel any rumors, is up for debate. Either way, we’ll keep you posted if any new information surfaces.
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Take my money…. after a few years because it’ll probably have bugs.
Only 4 to 6 times better? A PC today can show visuals 10x better easily. I’ll wait to buy the next xbox. I’ll probably only use it for Halo and Kinect games.
LOL did you see these are just humors? and hell it doesn’t even sound remotely legitimate sense it dated 2010
Micheal, you can’t really measure graphics like that. And even if you could, 10x better is stupid. Console graphics are very good, and while pc is much better, ’10x better easily’ is simply preposterous.
At what cost? According to these rumors, the new Xbox will be $299. How much would it cost to get a high-end PC running with 10x the graphical power of the 360? I have no idea, but it’s way more than $299. And besides, who cares about graphics anyway? Games aren’t about graphics, they’re about having fun playing a game. Most games today just make ignorant and stupid people think they’re playing an amazing game just because they have pretty graphics, when the most fun games I’ve ever played don’t try to make games look as amazing or life-like as possible; Braid, Borderlands, etc.
Games today are all about graphics. That’s what the majority cares about. It doesn’t matter if the game sucks, as long as it looks good to the eyes, then it is considered a blockbuster/triple A game.
@Guest
Totally disagree, some of the best and most praised games aren’t all that beautiful. Games are still great today, graphics just comes with the territory.
Xenoblade
@Mujiha
That was the shortest yet one of the best statements I read in this argument,
@Guest
Of course guest! That MUST be why Minecraft Out sold, GOW1 and 2, Bioshock, infamous, MW2, Black Ops, and Uncharted, just a few that came to mind. Do you realize the stupidity and inacurateness of that statement? Very few games don’t get returned for bad gameplay whether or not it had good graphics very few copies of games like No more heroes or MK Wii got returned despite not having “good” graphics.
I want to know how you measure visual representation exactly. Saying simply “it looks 6x better” doesn’t say much. It’s a fake.
Officials have been quoted/rumored to say the same thing, so I wouldn’t think that automatically makes it fake. But I’m with you, how do you measure visuals?
Polygon count?
Probably the amount of “ooh”s or “ahh”s you get when people see it.
4x and 6x measure resolution.
This applies to:
1. Image resolution (for texture maps and normal maps)
2. Polygon count (detail of 3d models)
3. accuracy of physics simulations (sometimes the level of detail rendered)
If you noticed they used only even numbers to describe the graphics upgrade. This is evidence that real functionality of software was considered.
It isn’t fake simply because, by law, law firms can not personally take down information from the Internet unless their client asks them to, their client being Microsoft. Why would Microsoft care so much to get this information off the net? The only logical reason is that it’s true. Keep in mind this was also made 2 years ago, but so far everything up to this point in the document has happened and come true.
I want that price to be real!
Not likely.
Was that a question?
Seems like the document’s legit, but it is old (i.e. tentative), so there’s no telling whether any of these details might’ve changed since this thing was written. Some interesting stuff, though, to be sure.
It’s a fake.$299…if they’re making it so much better.If it comes with all bluray,6x better graphics,etc.they really wouldn’t make much money then what they’re putting into it
How much do you know about Microsoft? They pretty much own the PC market, and have branched out into other markets as well. They may record a loss for hardware, but they’ll make their money back in software, subscription fees, etc.
Just because they rule the pc market,doesn’t mean they can/should put a product out that they won’t make a good profit of.this only says some of the things its rumored to have.there will be more.and it will be more expensive then $299
How do you know all this? You’re saying it all like it’s a fact. How do you know any of this? It would be really smart for them to release at a price point that undercuts the Wii U. It may cost them in manufacturing, but they’ll make so much more than that on software alone, not to mention Xbox Live subscription fees, online transactions, media partnerships, etc. because at just $299, everyone will want to go get a new Xbox. Do I think they’ll do this? Yes, I do, because despite what people think, Microsoft runs a good, honest business, and before people argue and say “They make you pay for Xbox Live,” who gives a crap? It’s $60 a year for security, constant updates, dedicated servers, and so much more, none of which PSN offers, and I promise, it’s worth every penny. But I digress, my point is that while $299 is a pretty low price point for their rumored specs, they could still turn a profit from it, and they will turn a profit in the long run with all the things that come with the console; games, subscriptions, etc.
That’s the same as saying it’d be smart for them to release the Microsoft Surface tablet for $400. Not going to happen. It’s priced to compete. Not priced to lose a ton.
How much do you know about business ethics?they don’t know for sure that they’ll make the money back in fees.if a company is putting $500 into every machine and charges it at let’s say $400.then expects to make up the difference in fees is just ignorant for a company to do.I know 1 thing.I’m getting which ever comes out first.simply because they both are going to be pretty similar.Sony and Microsoft are both pushing to get there’s out before the other.simply because whoever get there’s out first will have a major jumpstart.simply cause sociaty these days wants the newest technology around.maybe it’ll be $299 for a really low gb system.we’ll have to see.
I really don’t like Blu-ray. It really looks annoying, in my opinion..
It’s not just movies you know…they would be able to use bluray disc for games.the disc itself has more space amongst other benefits is longer games
SCmowns do you even know what a Blu-Ray is?
they wouldnt launch a new halo less then a year out of a new console.
They would have launched it with. It is quite possible they have it together but they are being smart and play testing the s*** out of it since they learned alot from the first.
Really? Halo 2 released a year before the Xbox 360 released. What does that say about your theory?
the new halo is a trilogy so we can expect one of em to make it to the next gen just to buy the console hopefully it will be included
it won’t be included without a price to pay.
I was lucky to have seen the complete document and what Microsoft has in store for entertainment in the living room is quite amazing. Having a console that is 4x/6x more powerful than its predecessor is a few steps forward thus making it affordable/accessible to a large audience.
IMO I think $300 is a great selling price for it.
What else is in the document?
“Having a console that is 4x/6x more powerful than its predecessor is a few steps forward thus making it affordable/accessible to a large audience.” Seems like this could be said for the Wii U too. But I expect you wouldn’t. My question is, what happens if Sony releases a PS4 that’s 10x more powerful than the PS3? Sells for maybe $100 more, I dunno. How much of a difference would that power discrepancy make with regard to these consoles’ success?
Sony wouldn’t make a console 10x as powerful and only charge $400 for it, especially since it would cost close to that much to manufacture. Sony is already in the red, they can’t afford to take too many chances right now.
Agreed.
yeah, you saw it. yawn…
If the new xbox forces you to use the kinect and there is no controller or the controller is secondary in mind then Im switching my gamer hood to pc.
Well, i’m not sure what to make of this. The fact that it’s dated 2010 doesn’t bode well for it being a legitimate document. Now, i do definately believe Microsoft is planning a new console sometime in the near future and this may very well be Microsoft attempting to get rumors circulating in order to increase consumer interest. I think they just want to get Gamers all riled up, to peek their curiosity and get them more interested in learning more about said console which in the long run would probably make people more likely to buy it. Also as a sidenote, i’ll be amazed if it actually turns out to retail at only $299.
blu ray is this gen. already been done before
graphics was this “gen”. that too has also been done before.
Can’t tell if you’re serious or being sarcastic…
Graphics comes with the territory of new hardware, it’ll always be done lol
I believe he was being a smartass lol
If the next xbox is only $300 it will do really really well I can say that much with certainty.
If the next xbox is 300 i feel really sorry for who buys it, because it will be the core console the pro console which probably come with bigger memory space and more worth the value if you are a gamer and not a kinect freak will probably be around $500. (Dont quote me i’m not esurance im just a speculator)